Ooops!

TEABOX RAISES $6M TOGROW ITS GLOBAL TEA-COMMERCE BUSINESS

Siliguri-based Teabox is launching an algorithmic prediction engine to help novice tea drinkers figure out whether to go for the Darjeeling black first flush from Jungpana plantations or something else based on their responses to...

Siliguri-based Teabox is launching an algorithmic prediction engine to help novice tea drinkers figure out whether to go for the Darjeeling black first flush from Jungpana plantations or something else based on their responses to a few basic questions.
"It's very much like wine (where) (where) when you start you probably know only red and white. There are so many varieties of tea (making it tough for one to choose). We came up with the prediction engine to solve this problem," Kaushal Dugar, founder and CEO of Teabox, told ET.
The venture backed startup's new service works like how Facebook would personalise your news feed based on what its algorithms think you like most.
Each new user on Teabox is asked five basic questions such as what kind of chocolates and smells they like, based on which the recommendation engine assigns a unique signature to the user. Then it recommends a tea after taking into account nearly 75 different attributes including aroma, astringency and strength to match the user's liking.

After the user consumes the tea, the company requests for feedback based on which the recommendations are fine-tuned. Using previous behaviour and different data points captured from a user to predict what he or she is more likely to buy is not new in ecommerce.
For the tea industry, where sprawling estates still run on ledgers designed in the British colonial era, this is right out of the future.
"Tastes are unique and with each prediction our engine gets better," said Dugar. "With the first order, we are 75% sure of which teas you are going to like. The next order has85% accuracy. As you taste, read and go through sessions, you become a connoisseur," he said.
Teabox, founded in 2012, uses technology to improve the tea industry's supply chain.
"The quality of tea deteriorates due to lack of storage and transport infrastructure. We take care of that by being at the source, shipping tea within 48 hours of production and reducing the time for consumption to 5-7 days," said Dugar, who hails from a family of traders who supply equipment to tea estates.
One of the company's early backers, Oak Hill Capital founder Robert Bass, was originally a customer who was impressed by the freshness of the tea sold by Teabox. .

Teabox is an online tea shop that delivers, every single day, the freshest Indian teas from estates in Darjeeling, Assam, and the Nilgiris as well as freshest teas from Nepal to tea lovers everywhere.

As a company, we believe tea is so much more than just a staple part of mornings and meals. An exceptional cup of tea, for us, has a more exalted place in the everyday life.

Why Teabox.com

We believe tea is endlessly engaging, brings people together, provides a sense of peace and well-being, and grants of a moment to yourself when you most need it. Great tea touches upon art, defines a sense of culture, marks a ritual, and offers a sense of connoisseurship. But a truly remarkable cup of tea is one which enhances the everyday.

This is the goal we are trying to achieve through our tea store - to bring great tea into the everyday life.

Freshest teas that make a delicious cup

So, what makes our teas great? Well, it’s got a lot to do with freshness. And the reason why freshness matters is because tea is an agricultural product. So, fresher tea tastes better and is healthier. We buy the first pick of every season and take utmost care when it comes to storage and packaging. We work directly with tea growers who know to hand-select tea leaves for their texture, color, scent, and purity. And by sourcing the highest-quality Indian teas directly from the most capable and most interesting growers and estates, Teabox’s online tea shop makes it easy for anyone—from tea experts to complete novices—to experience the freshness, delicate aromas, flavors, and authenticity that fine loose-leaf tea has to offer. We can do this because we’re based in the same foothills and gardens where our teas are grown.

Shopping with Teabox.com

With Teabox, shopping for fresh loose-leaf tea from India is easy because you make an informed purchase and you know exactly where your tea is coming from. Every batch of tea we procure is put up on our online tea store along with its invoice number, date of plucking, specialty and tea grade. And so, every time you sip one of our expert-curated teas, you are in the company of the most authentic tea experience there is.

For someone who loves tea, commitment to good tea comes naturally. We are trying to uphold this commitment every day with Teabox.

*Not applicable on subscription and only TeaPacs orders.

Disclaimer:

1. Any or all deals offered on/by any or all third party portals, platforms, marketplaces, and affiliate sites cannot be claimed on Teabox.com and Teabox.com is not liable to fulfil such claims.2. Any or all deals must be claimed with the third party portals, platforms, marketplaces, and affiliate sites where such offers have appeared. Teabox.com will not and is not bound to fulfil such claims.